This invention relates to traction devices which can be used at home to apply pelvic traction to the lumbar region of the patient's spine or to apply cervical spine traction. Pelvic traction serves to distract, or pull apart, the intervertebral discs and apophyseal joints of the spine thus taking pressure off of any nerve roots which may be pinched while keeping the apophyseal joints and ligaments at rest. The preferred direction of such traction is towards the patient's feet at an upward incline. The optimal position for easing pressure on such pinched nerves, whether or not traction is applied, is to have the patient lie on his back with his legs elevated. By applying pelvic traction while the patient is in such optimal position, the effect of the traction is to exert a lever action on the spine, thus increasing the beneficial effects of the traction.
Numerous traction devices exist for applying traction to the lumbar region of a patient's spine which are attachable to the frame of a standard hospital bed. A hospital bed can be rented for applying traction in one's home, but this can be expensive and cumbersome and could be impractical if there is no room in the home for bringing in the large hospital bed.
Traction devices for home use must be capable of operating without the benefit of a hospital bed frame. Typically such home traction devices compromise some aspects of an ideal hospital traction. U.S. Pat. No. 4,362,151 issued to Cottrell shows a triangular support with a pulley near the top. Although the patient's body is placed in an optimal position by placing his calves over a stool, the patient must pull the traction straps with his hands and the traction applied is upward and away from the patient's feet, rather than the ideal direction. In another device shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,398,742 issued to Alexander, a stand placed at the foot of a bed applies traction in an optimal direction, but there is no provision for placing the patient's body in the optimal position.
Other devices exist for applying cervical spine traction. Cervical spine traction is often used to treat acute or chronic neck pain where surgical intervention is not required. The aim of such traction is to distract the cervical spine discs and joints. The ideal position for the patient while traction is applied is semi-recumbent with the head slightly raised to produce a slight flexion of the cervical spine. This position allows the patient to be totally relaxed and takes the weight of the head off the cervical spine. A patient can stay in this position for an extended length of time and still comfortably read, etc.
Cervical spine traction devices designed for use in a hospital are impractical for home use because of the need for a hospital bed. Home traction devices typically compromise some aspect of the ideal hospital traction. One type of device attaches to the top of a door and applies traction to a patient seated in a chair. Not only are these devices uncomfortable, they pull in a less than ideal direction while the patient is not in an ideal position. Other home traction devices are frames which attach to the head of a bed and apply traction to a patient in a totally supine position. The totally supine position is not as ideal as a semi-recumbent position and a patient is unable to read, etc. in such a position.
The present invention provides a home traction device for pelvic traction and cervical spine traction which does not compromise any of the beneficial aspects of ideal hospital traction.